


Misunderstands & Amortentia

by mxrphvs (ssulrealism)



Series: Happy Birthday The8! [5]
Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: F/F, HP AU, M/M, and bts, minor appearances of NCT and the rest of CLC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-21
Updated: 2017-11-21
Packaged: 2019-02-04 23:19:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,789
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12781809
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ssulrealism/pseuds/mxrphvs
Summary: Minghao, a Gryffindor is hopelessly in love with Soonyoung, a Slytherin and his friendly quidditch rival. However, everyone thinks Minghao and Elkie are going out. When Soonyoung begins to hang out with Seungyeon things get complicated.





	Misunderstands & Amortentia

**Author's Note:**

> HAPPY (BELATED) BIRTHDAY TO MINGHAO!!
> 
> I apologize for any mistakes and misspellings, I tried to edit it as best I could ; ;

Seungyeon slides up next to Soonyoung, so close to him their knees barely touch. She flashes a shy smile at him which he imitates. It’s in that moment that Minghao feels his soul leave his body. It’s unnatural for a Slytherin like Soonyoung to date a Hufflepuff like Seungyeon, Minghao thinks.

“How Slytherin of you.” Sorn quips, spreading jam onto her toast. He glowers at her, taking a large gulp of his coffee.  
“Are you sure you’re in the right house? Or is this just the jealousy speaking? You haven't lost a friend just because he's dating someone now.” The two of them are at the end of their houses table, secluded in a spot where the voices drown out into soft silence. It’s a refuge for the two of them, they’re not ones for rowdy early morning chatter, unlike their housemates.

“I told you, the sorting hat gave me a choice and I chose Gryffindor.”

“I think you chose wrong.”

He shoots her a mean look and she backs off with a laugh, taking a bite of her breakfast and pokes his with her fork. Her way of telling him he better eat up or she’ll force it down his throat.

“You’re so skinny, how do you expect to stand up against those Scottish winds on the quidditch field, if you weigh all of three stone?”

He promises her he’s actually all muscle but still he clamors to stuff all he can in his mouth when she moves her hand closer to the spoon. He rushes for class after a quick goodbye, 

 

 

 

 

 

The bell tolls signaling the end of a school day, and Minghao finds himself collapsing under a hoarder’s paradise of parchments, quills, ink and books. He spends a good ten minutes shuffling everything around in a desperate search for his wand. When he finds it he immediately falls onto his back, savoring the feeling of soft grass against the back of his neck. Elkie doesn’t even look up from her book, she’s seated neatly on a blanket that barely fits all of her things. Her newly bleached blonde hair stark against the green and silver in her tie. The lake looks particularly beautiful this afternoon. Strictly speaking, they shouldn’t really be anywhere near the lake but neither can resist its charms. They make sure to stay a good ways away, just in case.

Once Minghao is done straightening everything out he dives straight into studying, Elkie says nothing to him until another hour passes. By then she needs a break and can’t get past a particular charm so she seeks out Minghao’s help. From there they both dissolve into gossip and chatter, their studies a distant memory.  
Soonyoung and Seungyeon find the two, doubled over with laughter at a stupid joke that only the two know about— Their limbs are tangled in each other— Soonyoung coughs, and Minghao perks up slightly, until he sees Seungyeon. His mood continues to pitfall as Soonyoung speaks.

“Sorry to break up your date mate—“

His voice fades, Minghao can’t bother to pay attention. He’s already been wounded enough as it is. Elkie notices his discomfort, taking hold of his hand and giving it a good squeeze. Soonyoung notices and turns pink in the ears, he babbles on for a bit, before bidding them farewell with Seungyeon in tow.

“Don’t wanna interrupt your date any longer— See you on the fields!”

Minghao waits until they look like tiny ants in the distance, to groan and bury his face in Elkie’s lap like a pitiful, pitiful boy in love.  
“I know… were both so unlucky.” She whispers into the air and pats his head. She’s nice and lets him mope for another half hour before kicking his butt and makes him teach her the charms spell she still can’t figure out.

 

 

 

 

Its another day on the quidditch field, but this match is more informal. Still, both teams are decked out in their very best, game faces on. Yoongi rolls his eyes as Soonyoung hurls an insult at Minghao, it’s nothing serious— the two can be like cats and dogs while on the field. The captain says nothing, but he makes sure to grab Gryffindor’s captain by the wrist, holding him back. “Hoseok don’t bother— it’s just how those two work. You know they’ll be best mates once it’s over.” He stifles a laugh as he watches the cogs and pulleys work in the other’s brain, before there is a deep sigh uttered.

“Nice haircut Hao-hao! My father could use some more hay for his horses!”

It’s not the best insult, honestly speaking Soonyoung has never been very witty but there is something about him that gets under Minghao’s skin. The Gryffindor would never let it show. He cooly gives Soonyoung a once over, eyes only barely glancing.

“I don’t know Soonyoung, I think your ratty old broom would be more than enough to feed his horses for a month.”

It’s a low blow that has him wondering if Sorn was right and he should’ve been placed in Slytherin. It does the job though, Soonyoung’s pride won’t let Minghao get away with a retort like that and the two continue going at it, til the whistle blows and the match starts  
.  
The game was supposed to be a scrimmage match, nothing serious but after all the trash talk both seekers are raring to go. They battle until it’s dark outside and everyone else becomes tired, once Minghao has caught the snitch— just seconds before Soonyoung he’d like to add— He fought valiantly but of course, Minghao would be the one to win in the end. You can’t beat natural talent. They make their way back down. Into a field filled with impatient teammates complaining about missing dinner.

They’re all smiles, arms slung around each other’s shoulders, talking loudly about each play— as they make their way into the hall to eat whatever is left. It’s nights like these, that Minghao cherishes the most. Both teams clamored together eating at a pace that the food could not keep up with. Soonyoung and Mingaho were seated together, eating and chatting till they were dragged away from the table.

 

 

 

 

Minghao wakes up to find Johnny and Mark rough housing, he doesn’t even bat an eye. It’s stereotypical Gryffindor boy behavior. Someone flings a pillow at his head and hits him square in the face and that all it takes for Minghao to get involved in the morning pillow fight. He’s still got feathers in his hair come breakfast time, and Sorn gives him a disapproving look as she pulls them out one by one. The feeling of eyes on him causes him to glance over at the Slytherin table and he awkwardly waves at Elkie, who’s face looks like she wishes she were in his place. He can hear someone shout, “Don’t worry Elkie! Sorn treats Mingaho like he’s her little brother! It’s platonic!” It’s such a ham-fisted thing to say that Minghao wishes he could just die on the spot. He wants to die even more when he realizes that it was Soonyoung who had shouted, flashing Minghao two thumbs up like he had just done him a solid.

“Seriously— Sorn— we’re just friends, Elkie is like my sister I never knew I had,” He pleads with her, she smiles politely and he doesn’t know if she believes him or not. It seems like no matter how many times the two of the scream, “ _were just friends!”_ no one believes them. Imagine the shock if they explained why they would never happen. Somehow Minghao thinks shouting about how he likes boys and she likes the opposite in the great hall wouldn’t go down so well. As much as he wished it would. 

The bell tolls again and Minghao once again finds himself with Elkie, another mass of study supplies creating a mountain between the two of them. This time, Elkie seems disinterested in studying. She seems downcast, she’s picking at the pages of her book instead of reading them. Normally she would have her nose glued to it.

“Sorn will never acknowledge me will she?”

He freezes.

“This was about this morning? I’m sorry— I should’ve told Soonyoung off.”  
There isn’t a responses for a long time and Minghao counts how many breaths she takes before she slumps against his shoulder. He tucks her loose hair behind her ear so he can see her face.  
“I just wish I could talk to her without—“ she flails her hands about as her face turns flushed, symbolizing how she feels on the inside whenever Sorn is in her presence.  
“At least you can talk to Soonyoung— you two are even friends. I bet she doesn’t even know my name.”  
“Not true—“ He counters.  
“She asked me the other day who the pretty Slytherin I always hung out with was. So I told her.”  
The bright shade of pink that bursts onto her cheeks was totally worth the beating he took at her hands after.

 

 

 

 

Minghao can feel the winds changing, he’s always been susceptible to cold weather so he tightens his scarf. Wonwoo and Seungkwan are having a petty fight while Chan, Junhui and Seungcheol talk nonsense about some muggle sport Minghao has never heard of. If a game is called football then why do they carry the ball around in their hands most of the time? It makes no sense to him. Minghao is waiting for Soonyoung to join their bunch. Classes should long be over, but he still hasn’t showed up. A thought flashes in his mind and it makes him feel sick, what if he’s ditched them for Seungyeon? Mingyu shakes him from the thought with a question about mandrakes and Minghao falters, answering the question wrong. So Mingyu takes a bit of his pumpkin pasty. Minghao’s face screws up, and he asks Mingyu a question in return. Mingyu answers correctly but Minghao still takes a bit of his chocolate frog without permission. The two take turns trying to to outsmart each other in exchange for the other’s food. It isn’t till he’s headed back to the common room with Seungcheol and Seungkwan that Minghao realizes, Soonyoung never showed up.

 

 

 

 

He watches leaves fall outside— the lecture their professor is giving on vampires is not nearly as interesting as Minghao would’ve hoped. It’s been almost a month since Soonyoung ditched the friend group. He won’t even look Minghao in the eyes when they have matches against each other. The coward even called in sick one day during a scrimmage match, Minghao had shown no mercy to his replacement. He doesn’t know what brought about this change but he just hopes it’s not because he’s spending all day making goofy eyes at Seungyeon. That doesn’t seem to be the case. Sorn telling him that Seungyeon hasn’t seen Soonyoung for days. “Not that she talks about him much.” She mentions but by then Minghao is already rushing off. Wonwoo was the most unbothered, “Sometimes men have to figure their shit out and they just need time alone.” But he hadn’t been spending all his time alone, Minghao knew he was hanging out with Seokmin, the keeper on the Hufflepuff team.

 

 

 

 

It was a sunny autumn day— the others had all gone off to Hogsmeade, pockets full of galleons— in search of giant lollipops and cotton candy that changed flavors as you ate it. Minghao had stayed behind with Elkie, the grounds at Hogwarts were most peaceful once a large portion of the students were gone. They didn’t talk about much. Minghao taking the rare moment to meditate while polishing his broom, his favorite form of therapy. Elkie was furiously scribbling notes on her post-its and slapping them onto the book she was reading,  
“This girl is an idiot—” She mumbled into the crisp air.

There was only a slight muffled sound of shoes on grass to notify them that someone else was in their presence.  
“Mind if I join you two?”  
Sorn’s voice was soft, she had a notebook in her hand.  
“I was searching for a place to do some writing and I saw you guys hanging out, can I sit down?”  
The voice that escaped Elkie’s lips was hilarious to Minghao and he fought back a laugh as he nodded for Sorn to join them. She placed herself in between the two and flashed Elkie with gorgeous smile that would have the younger girl talking about nothing else, for another three weeks.

A serene calm blanketed the trio as they all busied themselves in their endeavors. Minghao was the first to finish, laying on his back with his broom at his side once he had packed all his supplies up. The sky was clear and fresh, there wasn’t a cloud in sight. Still, he marveled at how blue it was, a light cobalt color that made him itch to fly with the birds. He was about to act on his impulse— when a pair of raised voices reached his ears.  
The two were straining their voices, trying not to yell out in the open courtyard at one another. For a moment, Minghao thought he had been the only one to hear the duo, as his friends hadn’t bothered to look up but there was an unmistakable shout that rang out and Sorn looked up with an annoyed look on her face. Still, she went back to scribbling, annoyance etched on her features. The pair continued to fight a war of words and Minghao felt like the voices were inching closer. Interest didn’t hold him for long, it wasn’t uncommon for couples to use the time when almost all the other students left to hash out their differences. Then the voices began to come in clearly and the tone, cadence and sound of one of them caused Minghao’s heart to ache.

“Soonyoung.”

He didn’t think he had been vocal enough for anyone to hear him but Elkie immediately perked up, her hands closing her book in an instant to look at him. The voices continued to bicker and Sorn could no longer ignore them. Despite her best efforts. Her forehead was wrinkled slightly with confusion, the pen in her hand coming to a complete stop.

“That sounds like Seungyeon.”

The three of them held still, afraid to breathe— they were all trying to filter out what they were fighting about, but it was to no avail. After a few solid minutes of arguing the voices dissipated. There was then nothing but angry stomps as Seungyeon marched through, not looking up, tears in her eyes. Minghao felt a pang of sorrow for her— and he wondered for a moment if he should go after her. Even if he was jealous of her, he didn’t like seeing her cry— especially because of Soonyoung. She was always nice and warm to him— she didn’t deserve to cry like that. Sorn acted faster, notebook tucked under her arm, pen placed in her mouth as she rushed after her friend.

Left by themselves, neither Minghao nor Elkie knew what to do so they decided to part ways.  
“I want to find Yeeun and talk to her about this book anyway. I’ll see you later?” Elkie offered with a small pat on the back and what Minghao assumed was supposed to be a comforting smile. Although on Elkie’s face it looked almost pained, but he was sure his own facial expression mirrored hers. The weight of his broom and supply bag suddenly felt heavy to Minghao, as he walked the halls towards the Gryffindor common room. He wasn’t exactly sure why he was walking that way, his legs deciding it on their own. He assumed it was best to drop his bag off before taking his broom out for a spin. Not that he suspected anyone would try to steal from him— he had placed a nasty protection charm on it. The last time Junhui had tried to mess with it the poor boy had wound up vomiting slugs for a good two days.

He was one hallway from reaching the stairs when someone popped up in his path blocking him, he was prepared to glare at the individual— but the person’s red rimmed eyes took him by surprise.

“Ah— Soo—” Was all he got out before Soonyoung had rushed off, a humiliated look on his face. Minghao wanted to run after his friend but, with everything going on he felt it best to leave Soonyoung alone for now. 

 

 

 

 

That afternoon, Minghao rode his broom out past the Hogwarts grounds, riding fast and furious, hoping the winds would beat the image of a crying Soonyoung from his memory. He had been lucky to not get caught by a professor on his return, hair whipped up and skin stinging from cold. As he slid into the hall to join everyone for dinner it hadn’t escaped his notice that neither Seungyeon nor Soonyoung were present.

 

 

 

 

A week passes and Soonyoung still hasn’t returned to the friend group. There’s a somber aftertaste whenever that won’t leave whenever they all get together. It’s another evening with all of them gathered together, Elkie and her two friends from fourth year joining in this time. The eleven of them make a rowdy party as they watch Wonwoo and Chan battle it out in wizard’s chess. Chan is one step behind Wonwoo till the last minute when his queen unexpectedly smashes Wonwoo’s king into tiny little pieces. Wonwoo lets out a stifled sob before handing over Chan his rightfully earned cash. They spend the rest of the night talking about absolutely nothing of importance. Seungkwan hates a boy in his year named Vernon, he won’t stop staring at him during herbology and professor Longbottom has started to point it out much to Seungkwan’s embarrassment. Chan remarks that he’s almost perfected a spell to change his hair color, and when prompted by Yeeun for a demonstration he smartly changes Seungcheol’s hair from a bright orange, back to black again— with only a slight burning smell. They’re all impressed, causing such an uproar they’re almost kicked out.

It’s a fun night, Minghao thinks to himself, if only Soonyoung had joined them then it would’ve been a perfect night. Minghao can’t help but miss the other, he still remembers the sad look on the other’s face and admonishes himself for not running after him. The group continues to talk away, a noisy mash of voices with no one paying attention to one another— that is until Junui lets out a poignant sigh, arms stretched out as he slumps into his large chair.  
“I wish Soonyoung was here— but he’s still too embarrassed to faced everyone after his blunder in potions class.”  
Everyone falls silent and all eyes focus on Junhui, who looks around bashfully.  
“I— I thought you all knew?”  
“Knew what.” Minghao’s voice is raw and he hardly realizes he’s the one talking out loud at this moment but he wants to know why. Why Soonyoung hasn’t been with them the past weeks.  
Junhui grows a darker shade of pink, obviously uncomfortable with the attention and his words fumble as he tries to get everything out.  
“I mean I can’t really confirm anything because he hasn’t spoken to me much since that day but— it was the same day he didn’t show up to hang out— We were in potions class, and Slughorn was asking us to smell amortentia— Well he asks Soonyoung what he smells and naturally we all expect him to describe Seungyeon… since they’re going out and all… but he starts listing all these weird smells that Seungyeon would never smell like. Naturally she gets upset and storms out of class while Soonyoung just has this shocked look on his face as he keeps describing smells. Like he just realized something really important.”

The slurry of words spills from Junhui’s mouth and the whole group is stunned. Seungcheol is the first to speak— voice laced with frustration.  
“He realizes he’s in love with someone that’s not his girlfriend and he’s embarrassed, thats why he’s not joining us?” Wonwoo smoothes a hand against his boyfriend’s back to calm him down, whispering that he needs to remember it’s for Soonyoung’s sake that they all let him make his own choices. Still, they can all tell Seungcheol is filled to the brim with fury and Minghao can’t blame him. He feels the same way, angry that Soonyoung felt like he couldn’t come to his friends for support. A part of him can’t help but feel anger on Seungyeon behalf too, he didn’t think Soonyoung was the type of person to string someone along.  
It’s only later that Junhui’s words really resonate with him, he had described someone else that wasn’t Seungyeon and he hadn’t realized it. That’s why he had been shocked. For a moment he lets fantasy fly away with him— catering to the idea that maybe he’s the one who Soonyoung is secretly in love with. The thought is too silly and Minghao regrets such a thought as hope fills his heart. He knows the feeling isn’t going to leave, not until it’s forced out of him.

 

 

 

 

The next day, bright and early, Seungcheol storms into the Slytherin dorms and forces Soonyoung to talk. Their words aren’t pretty and Chan reports that they both cried like never before but when all is said and done, Soonyoung returns to their party. Minghao is more put out, wishing he’d been the one to show such courage— to talk to Soonyoung when he had greatly wanted to. Instead he had chickened out. He wonders once again if he chose the right house. His spirits only rally when Wonwoo tells him the whole group is going to get together and throw a party to celebrate Soonyoung’s return. He glows at the idea of getting to talk to Soonyoung after such a long time, but when the two finally meet face-to-face there’s a barrier. Soonyoung feels untouchable to Minghao and he feels as if the other is purposely ignoring him.  
Payback for not coming to his side when he could have, should have?  
Minghao spend the rest of the party, his back against a wall, listening to one of Soonyoung’s new friends talk about a class he hasn’t taken yet. After a while, everything fades into one another and becomes muddled. Before he knows it, Minghao is back in his bed, Johnny and Mark's loud talking preventing him from sleep. 

 

 

 

 

The coming days bring a lot of change. Seokmin and his buddies join their group and everything is magnified. Seungkwan bemoans at the thought of getting to know Vernon personally after finding out that he and Seokmin are childhood friends. Still, he seems to slightly enjoy the attention of someone who hasn’t heard his stories a million times over, and who doesn’t interrupt him to ask questions. Jihoon is a reserved Ravenclaw who Wonwoo actually knows pretty well, he blends into the group without any bumps or bruises. Minghao likes him from the start as they have the same taste in music and quidditch teams. The other two Jeonghan and Joshua are nice enough, but they seem to be in a world of their own most of the time so Minghao doesn’t know how to approach them. Wonwoo and Seungcheol like the fact that they finally have another couple to talk to, and honestly, that’s all Minghao needs to like them.

Strangest yet, Soonyoung and Seungyeon still seem to be on good terms. She calls out to him one day, hand-in-hand with one of her friends— another huffelpuff named Yujin. She’s all smiles and jokes as she and Soonyoung talk, wishing him the best and telling him not to be a stranger. Soonyoung awkwardly tells them, once she has left that there was never any resentment on her part, all their arguing was simply because she was worried about him. He makes a point to leave out what had caused her to worry. It’s a gap Minghao wishes to fill.

 

 

 

 

Minghao is back with Elkie, having spent too much time with the guys since Soonyoung’s return. He seeks her out so the two of them can hangout and apologizes even after she says he has nothing to apologize for. She uses the opportunity to guilt trip him into helping her with her charms practice. Minghao is shocked when Sorn joins them, dropping off a book she had borrowed from Elkie. His best friend manages to get out a subtle wink to him before turning to Sorn and asking her if she wants to stay. This proves to be a great idea as Minghao is over his head with charms theory when Elkie asks him to perform a particularly hard spell. Sorn ends up taking the helm.  
They’re taking a break when Elkie first mentions Soonyoung.  
“I can’t help but wonder what Soonyoung smelled when he was in the presence of amortentia— to freeze up like that— no one will tell me.” She pouts. Minghao nods, the thought had been on his mind too. Sorn smiles, a kind of smile that means she knows something they don’t.  
“Do you really want to know?”  
“Yes!” Elkie shouts, hand shooting up in the air like she’s in class.   
Minghao tries to play it cool, like curiosity isn’t eating him alive. He shrugs but nods as calmly as he can, picking at some grass.  
Sorn moves closer to them, voice low. The other two move their ears closer, vigilant to anyone who might happen upon them at this moment.  
“I heard from Yujin that what Soonyoung had described was really weird— sweat from a hot summers day, the smell of grass baking in the sun, warm leather, the scent of hay— no one could figure out who he was describing.”  
Elkie lets out a hearty laugh, elbowing Minghao in the ribs.  
“That sounds like you! Especially after you’ve come from some quidditch match!”

Her words hit her harder than the first bludger he took to his stomach. Memories began to seep in, all the small moments he had never thought much of began to make sense. From the beginning, when Soonyoung had been the one to seek out a friendship with a untrusting Minghao. To all the times they bickered on the field. All the comments made about his body— Things that he had brushed off, figuring it was just Soonyoung being a bro. The small touches; how Soonyoung would hold onto his hand— fingers just barely touching one another— as the two would saunter back to their common rooms after a particularly late get together. Minghao realizes, Soonyoung has been into him for quiet some time. Even if the other didn’t know himself.

His mind doesn’t know how to comprehend such information so he’s left in a blinking state with his mouth hung open. Elkie and Sorn are looking at him with confusion all over their faces. The youngest of the trio finally decides enough is enough and she elbows her best friend again.  
“Yah. You look like an idiot. Tell me what you’re thinking right now!”  
It sounds ridiculous as he tells the two what he’s been thinking and he knows Elkie is judging him hard—  
“I think you might be onto something.” Sorn states in a calm, almost motherly tone.  
“But what do I do?” Minghao groans, he feels like he can’t just go to Soonyoung and ask point blank if the other likes him back. Elkie sympathetically pats him on the back. Sorn takes his hands into hers and gives them a good squeeze as she looks him straight in the eyes.  
“Talk to him one on one, ask him if he likes you, maybe even tell him you like him too— the point is— you need to talk to him. Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Be honest with him— and if it goes badly— you can always come to us and cry about it… but I suspect it won’t.” She smiles, reassurance spreads through out his body— warm— like a butter beer on a cold day.  
“Yeah! And if he breaks your heart, I promise my friends and I will beat him up!” Elkie chimes in , only half-jokingly.

 

 

 

 

  
Minghao feels like everything is too much. The voices, the noises, he’s never been this bad with crowds but everything in this moment feel amplified by a hundred and he momentarily wonders if he can breath. He’s waiting for Soonyoung to appear, hoping he can ask for a moment before lunch starts so the two of them can talk. He doesn’t know why his legs are turning to jelly, isn’t he a Gryffindor? Why does this feel so hard to? He should be braver than he is. A flash of green and blonde passes him and it takes a moment to register that Soonyoung has just walked by him. He works up his courage and shouts out to him, grabbing onto his robe so he has to stop. Wonwoo and Vernon exchange glances as Minghao insists that Soonyoung join him for something.  
“It’ll only take a moment—” He shouts back, they’ll be back in time for the first course.

Despite how he had felt earlier, the words tumble out of Minghao’s mouth just as soon as he’s got Soonyoung cornered in a secluded part of the school.  
“Do you like me?” He blurts out in a state so rushed he hardly feels like he’s said anything at all.  
Soonyoung is dumbfounded and silent, his face screws up and Minghao can tell his angry. He backs off, hands falling to his side as he thinks up an excuse to say.

  
“Look I—”

  
“Who told you.”

  
Soonyoung cuts him off, tone dark that catches Minghao by surprise.

  
“I swear if Seungcheol told you or if Cha—”

  
Now it’s Minghao’s turn to cut the other off, he wants to dampen the fire out into nonexistence, so with both hands he braces Soonyoung’s shoulders. Looking him in the eyes, intensity seeping through as he speaks with total honesty. 

  
“No one told me, I figured it out by myself.”

  
“I don’t believe you. How could you have found out? I didn’t—”

  
“I found out about potions class. I know the amortentia potion reminded you of me.”

  
All the hot air inside Soonyoung escapes and he almost collapses against Minghao, his forehead pressed against the other’s shoulder. He sighs again, he’s not touching Minghao at all, hands dangling from his body like dead leaves still clinging to a branch.

  
“It’s weird right? It’s weird to love one of your friends, right?”

  
“Is this why you’ve been ignoring me?”

  
Soonyoung lets out another sound, one that sounds painful. So Minghao holds onto him tighter; something he wishes he had done since the day he saw Soonyoung cry. Slowly, Soonyoung's hands find themselves on his friend's waist. 

  
“I didn’t know how to react— I thought I could ignore everything, I thought maybe I was wrong, maybe I was just into your quidditch skills but then Elkie came into the picture— and—” he continues on for a full ten minutes, explaining how he was jealous of the bond between Elkie and Minghao even if he knew the two were just friends. How he and Seungyeon were never more than just friendly too.

  
“I think we both had to figure ourselves out, it was really nice actually— having someone to talk to who understands me—”

  
“Why do you think Elkie and I get along so well?” Minghao laughs, vibrating them both with a cozy warmth. 

  
They stay like that for a while, neither daring to speak. Until Minghao decides to break the spell, finally vocalizing something he’s felt deep inside of him for so long.

  
“I like you too.” His voice is softer than it’s been previously, but he knows Soonyoung has heard him. His face screws up again, at first like he doesn’t believe him and then he makes the goofiest face Minghao has seen, suddenly realizing Minghao was speaking the truth. The tension cracks, and Minghao finds himself confessing everything that has been on his mind since the first day he meet the blazing Slytherin. The ice melts between the two, playful banter working it's way back in. Still, there are serious moments, regarding their feelings for each other and their future as a couple. Still, everything remains friendly and their conversation continues until Seokmin interrupts- interjecting that if they want food they better hurry it up. Their friends eye them suspiciously, Seungkwan makes it his job along side Seokmin to point out that they’re holding hands, but they continue undeterred. Simply shrugging of the questions as they rush to eat. 

 

 

 

 

Winter is rearing it’s ugly head, snow is blowing in flurries. It's annoying, Sorn notes— she’s sitting with all of her red and gold— from her hat to her socks. It’s time for the event of the year, the match between Slytherin and Gryffindor. Her seat mate hasn’t shown up yet so her eyes wander around, down to the field where she can barely make out two boys bickering-one in red the other green- back and forth. Like an old married couple, she laughs.

  
“What a long way they’ve come, right?” The melodic voice catches her attention and Sorn scoots over so Elkie can sit next to her. A sixth year shoots her a dirty look so Sorn shoots one back, before crowding up into Elkie’s space, she knows the younger girl won’t mind.  
“I brought hot cocoa~” Elkie sings, pouring a cup from her thermos so that Sorn can take a sip.  
“Thank you—“  
Sorn is grateful for these moments with Elkie, it’s funny she thinks, how Minghao’s love trials brought the two of them together. She’s happy for him, he’s always been someone she admired. Still, a part of her wonders when it will be her turn. Not that she's in a hurry, mind you.

  
The roar from the crowd snaps her out of her thoughts, as everyone jumps from their seats to begin going wild. She chuckles, watching Elkie join in, with her green and silver banner waving ecstatically. Sorn joins in, a large lion head in her free hand that she waves with lots of heart. She barely notices Elkie turn to her so she can whisper in her ear.

  
“After this can I talk to you?”

 

Is all she says before Soonyoung whips past, causing everyone to go wild again. Sorn thinks, with one hand full of warm hot cocoa, the other clutching the most ridiculous lion head she’s ever seen— that things always work out in the end. Even if it’s not how you imagined it.

**Author's Note:**

> Roll mouse over symbol for long ass author note  ?
> 
>  
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> Sorry (again) for the long author note! I hope you liked the fic.


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